The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
A lot of people responded on facebook to that post, in fact right now it's up to 28 comments on two facebook pages although no one commented here on the actual blog site. Other pastor-friends and their wives wrote to me privately to give their thoughts since they felt they could not safely post their thoughts publicly.
All church people who posted comments were of the belief that pastors should be free to speak their mind like anyone else. Several of our Celebration Church members shared their appreciation for how I do speak boldly on certain issues and they encouraged me to never hold back. I appreciate that.
I want to follow up today and to try to bring greater understanding as to why many pastors do hold back. My husband, for example, rarely "shares his heart." You see, it's not as simple as, "just share what's on your heart and let the chips fall where they may." Chips can hurt. They can hurt A LOT.
Let me preface this by saying some will think this is over the top. Think again. Sadly, I know people personally that all of these things apply to. Some of them apply to me. I could give names and locations, but would never betray a sacred trust of a friend and colleague. (All names below have been changed.)
God fearing men and women will not hold back in preaching on the power of the cross or salvation, or the core doctrines of scripture. But many stay silent on most everything else. Let's peel back the curtain and find out just a few reasons why. If some pastors or their wives could talk without repercussions, they would tell you this:
I shared my heart...and five families have left the church.
I shared my heart...and now I can't make my mortgage payment.
I shared my heart...we are now losing our health insurance. My wife has breast cancer. We don't know how we're going to pay for her treatment.
I shared my heart...and now I've been betrayed.
I shared my heart. The Bricker family is very upset about it. Jim Bricker talked to me last night and told me his wife is upset and doesn't want to come to our church anymore after I shared what I just did. I can work through this myself but it was hard to hear my 10 year old cry herself to sleep last night.You see, Ashley Bricker is her best friend and last night at church she told my daughter they were leaving and they wouldn't be able to play together anymore.
I shared my heart. This morning when I woke up I opened my e-mail I received the most hateful letter. Most people think this person who is a long time member of our church is so godly. They would be shocked to read this letter, I've been verbally cut to shreds. I won't share it with anyone but my wife, because I play fair even when our people don't. Sometimes I don't even share those letters with my spouse. She takes it harder than I do and sometimes it's easier for me to shield her from things that I can protect her from.
I shared my heart. Today when I got to the office the secretary let me know the district superintendent was on the phone for me. It was the first call of the day. He called to let me know somebody had contacted the district office about me sharing my heart. He was compassionate and didn't agree with my accuser. He prayed with me about the issue, but it still hurts that it ever happened.
I shared my heart. The board meeting didn't go so well the other night. This week I've been having terrible chest pains.
I shared my heart. We're losing our house.
I shared my heart. Some people have de-friended me on facebook but they are posting about me in an unkind way on the pages of many members of our church. Some of this is not overt where other members of the church would pick up on it...status updates like, "We miss you but we sure do loooooove our new church and our new pastor! God is sooooo good. Would love to see you soon...visit sometime? First A/G service is at 10:00."
I shared my heart. Unfortunately it had to do with a leader who is one of the kids' Sunday School teachers. Now in class my son is singled out unfairly in every class. The other Sunday when we came home he was crying and said, "Dad, I just don't want to go to church anymore." He's beginning to associate church with pain and that hurts my soul...
I shared my heart. I have no idea how we're going to buy groceries this week.
I shared my heart. The sanctuary looks so empty now.
I shared my heart. At least my wife and my dog are still on speaking terms with me.
I shared my heart. This past week I had my second heart attack. The doctor says I really need to consider a career change to something that isn't so stressful.
I shared my heart. Some people in the church said I need to be more transparent, open up and tell what's really on my mind. Now those same people are circulating a petition about me.
I shared my heart...and was asked to leave. I have no idea where we're going to go.
I shared my heart. I told the congregation some of my thoughts about the political climate we are currently in, briefly mentioned the election and preached boldly about making Godly choices based upon Christian values. The church just lost our 501c3 status.
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